The new normal has brought a new era of teaching and teachers. Considering the changing times, colleges meant for teachers are tweaking the syllabus to include pandemic-induced online teaching. While training skills such as teaching through a camera, using smart devices, preparing audio-visual presentations and conducting effective assessments in the absence of traditional pen-paper practice are being included in the curriculum individually by colleges, all of them are pressing on the need of curricular changes.

“Considering the blended approach of teaching, skills expected from teachers, too, have changed. It is no longer just handling the class but doing it online, ensuring everybody’s interest and discipline. Required changes are being made by individual education colleges. Lessons, field trips, science projects or even assessments — everything is online. It is important for new teachers to learn to make it interesting for students while they are connected from their homes,” said Dr Arundhati Chavan, academic dean, Swayam Siddhi College of Education. Dr Chavan added, “It is important for teachers to learn to think out of the box. For example, using household items to keep students engaged or creating an intriguing audio-visual presentation of a place that could have been a field trip destination.”